Surgical appliance.



W. ON. SHERMAN.

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.10,,1912,

Patented July 28, 1914.

WITNESSES FIG. 10

T To all whoon 'it may concern:

- Ivqv of Fig.1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ON. SHERMAN, orPI'r'rsB'URGII, PENNSYLVANIA. I I

SURGICAL APPLIANCE.

7 Specification of Letters ?ate'nt.

Be it kg'o'wu that I, WILLIAM ON. SHER- MAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, vented a newand useful Surgical Appliance, of which the'following-is a."spec1fication.

a minimum amount of metal and consequent reduction IILWQIglIiL. Y

Another object of the inventionistoprop vide a surgical appliance or bone plate hav-. mg novel means whereby the plates are caused to engage orcont'act with and rigidly support the bones at the point of fracture in maintaining the fractured bones in alined position. Referring to 1 is a plan bone plate constructed and arranged in accordance with'my invention. Fig. 2 is longitudinalsectional side elevation of the bone plate shown in'Fig. 1; verse section of the bone plate, the section being taken on the line IIL-III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line V-V of" Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan partly in section, showing the application of my improved bone plate for use in 'reducinga fracturedbone. Fig. 7 is a transverse section, on an exaggerated scale, taken on the line VII- VII of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the screw preferably used in applying the bone plates. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the screw of Fig. 8, showing the construction of the head thereof. Fig, 10 is a transverse section on the line XX of Fig. 8 showing the preferred construction of the flutes in the threaded end of the screws.

In the drawings, referring to the Figs. 1 to 5, the bone plate 2, asconstructed in accordance with my invention, which is formed of vanadium steel alloy having about have in- Y My invention relates to appliances 'emin reducing fractured the accompanying drawings 7 forming part of this spec fication, Figure showing asurgrcal appliance or I marginal side edges of Fig. 3 v is a trans-- ofl per cent. vanadium, is provided with a series of holes 3, in which the screws are countersunk on the outer face'of the plate .andthescrews 4 areprovided with countersunk headsof the same degree of angularity so as toinsure'a neat fit between the contacting surfaces of the bone plate and thescrews.-

The marginal sideedgesof the plates 2 are sinuous in' outline, 5thereof, inwhich the counter-sunk holes 3 are located, being connected by narower portions 6 and 71whose side edges are made up of a series of reverse curves, each curve being tangent to theconnecting curves.

In cross section the plates are concave on the innersurface thereof and convex on the,

outer, surface, the concave-convex cross section affording the greatest possible strength and permittmg the thickness of the bone lates to be greatly reduced so as to effect a substantial decrease in weight without sacrifice in strength, while-the rigidity'of the p ates isgreatly increased. 7 The curvature of the concave inner surface of the bone plate is'preferably of a Sinallei*.radi11s tl1itn that ofthe bone 8 to whlch it is applied, so that when in placetlicthe bone plate will A Patented July 28, 1914. Application filed February 10, 1912. SerialNo. 616,839. 1- v the wider portions. 7

bearagainstthe'. outer. surface of'the bone when the plate 2 1s tion by the fastening screws 4. I

Thescrews 4 preferably used in fastening the bone plates have a thread 4? extending closely to about-the inner end, ofthescrew head 9.: The screw head is countersunk and its outer face is slotted in the usual manner. At about the middle of the length of the slot 10 in the head 9 of the screws 4 is a hole or recess lland the screw driver used in ins'erting the screws in place has a projecting portion which enters the hole 11 in the bottom of the slots 10, so as to prevent side avise slipping of thescrew driver in driving the screws 4. n The threaded outer end of the screws 4 is provided with a plurality of lengthwise extending flutes 4 these flutes acting as a tap in inserting the screws in the bone and overcoming driving the screws into place.

In applying the plates for use in reducing fractured bones, an incision is made at the point of fracture so as to uncover the bone.

After the fracture is reduced and the ends drawn tightly into posi- I apparent to those skilled in the art.

threads in the drilled holes in the bone in inserting the screws, on account of the flutes 5t on the outer ends of the screws 4. The screws l'are driven or screwed into the holes so as to firmly secure the bone plate 2 to the bone 8 and rigidly hold the ends of the broken bone in position, as shown in Fig. 6.

The incision is then sewed up and the necessary bandages are put in place.

Ordinaril the bone lates are allowed to remain in p ace after t e bone has knit and the wound has healed, each plate 2 becoming a permanent fixture in such case. In some locations, however, as for example where the flesh or muscles covering the bone are not sufiicient, it will be found necessary or desirable to remove the bone plate later, after sufficient time has elapsed to insure proper knitting of the bone.

The advantages of my invention WlllBbG y making the bone plates concavo-convex in cross section, the plates are greatly strengthened and stiflened, so that the thickness of the plates can be reduced to a minimum and a materially less amount of metal be used in obtaining the required strength and rigidity. The sinuous outline of the plates avoids a construction having sharp corners or points of intersection, which would form the beginning of a break in the plate. The use of vanadium alloy steel in making the plates very greatly increases the strength and toughness of the metal without lessening its resistance to bending and permits of a much lighter weight plate being used than would otherwise be necessary to afford the requisite strength, Modifications in the construction of thebone plates may be made without departing from my invention. The length and width and the degree, of curvature in cross section After the holes have been drilled of the plates may be varied. A greater or lesser number of screw holesinay be provided in the bone plates. Screws constructed otherwise than as shown herein-may be employed in fastening the bone plates, and .other changes may be made within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: 7 I

1. A surgical appliance comprisinga bone plate having a concave inner surface toconftact with the bone and openingsin said plate through which screws extend into the "bone in securing the plate in position thereon, the.v .concave inner surface of the plate having a.

curvature whereby the marginal side edges thereof contact with the bone when secured.

thereon.

2. A surgical appliance comprismg a bone Thavmg openings through which screws extend into the bone in fastening the plate in i position thereon, vthe concave inner surface of the plate having a curvature whereby the n1argmal side edges thereof contact with Ithe bone when secured thereon;

i 3. A surgical appliance for use in reduciing fractures,comprising a bone plate confcavo-convex in cross section with the mar- ;ginal side edges of the plate formed of tan- ;gentially arranged reverse curves to provide in plate of sinuous outline,.said plate having gopenin gs therein through which fastening screws extend into the bone in securing the Zplate in position thereon. v

' l. A'surgical appliance for'usein reduciing fractures, comprisinga bone plate con-- cavo-convex in cross section and having I1'1t11'g1nfil'S1d6 edges formed of tangentially arra'nged reverse curves to provide a plate plate having open- .of sinuous outline, said ings therein through which fastening screws extend into the bone in securing the plate in position thereon, the concave inner surface of the plate having a curvature whereby the marginal side edges thereof contact with the bone when secured thereon. j

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. I I

' WILLIAM ON. SHERMAN. lVitnesseszr i L. P. MARTIN, J. WV. TAYLOR. w

'; plate concavo-convex in cross section and 

